The surgical methods that can be applied for replacement of lost muscle functions can also be applied in antagonist muscle function losses. Tendon and muscle transfers are among the said implementations. By this means, a musculotendinous unit in voluntary control of the patient substitutes for the lost function of the muscle. Also, there are some techniques specific to antagonist muscle losses. The said techniques exploit the fact that the antagonist tonus is weaker than the agonist tonus. In order to eliminate the deficiency of an agonist muscle, actuator type motors, which can provide linear movement with high power, are needed and the studies to accomplish this feat are in progress. However, in order to eliminate the deficiency of the antagonist muscles, the mechanism which can implement higher tension than the resting tonus of agonist muscles that is the tension which they apply when the muscles do not generate any function will be adequate. The said mechanisms keep the joints at a position where they can generate function with stable tension which they implement during rest, and a person can overpower the said tension with the strength of the agonist muscles when he/she wants to generate a function. Depending on the said principle, splints and orthesis were produced which provide the function of the antagonist muscles in the affected limb with the elastic systems externally. For example, in a nervus radialis lesion which results in the paralysis of hand extensors, there are splints with springs which bring the wrist and the fingers to extension. The said splints keep the hand open such that it will grab an object and when the patient grabs an object, he/she overpowers the strength of the springs with the tension of agonist muscles and can perform the grabbing. Similarly, there are systems with spring which pull the foot upwards from its metatarsus in order to eliminate foot drop seen as a result of nervus peronealis injury, and enable the patient to pull the tip of her/his foot upwards during stepping.
Tendon and muscle transfers are technically challenging operations which require sacrificing the function of another muscle, and can prove taxing for the patient.
The splints and the orthesis which will open the joints externally appear unpleasant, their use is difficult and the functional improvements they provide are limited. Furthermore, the said systems function with a stable tension without any interaction with the neuromotor activity of the patient, and they cannot provide a decrease or increase in their tensions such that they will adapt muscle activity intensity at a certain moment.
In addition to the said methods used practically in humans, there are several patent documents in the technique related with the object of the invention.
FR 2810877: Joint ligament implant prosthesis having elasticity and which can be fastened to the bone from both ends. However the said invention does not have a mechanism providing adjustable tension as well as it is not designed to replace a muscle function.
US 2009048479: Urethra strip manufactured from prolene mesh, developed for incontinence. Mesh pattern is also used in the project which is introduced, the structure of the mesh is commonly used and the product does not have the adjustable elastic structure of the design presented in the project which is introduced.
US 2010030332, WO 2005020857: An intraocular lens model the accommodation of which can change with the contact of ciliary muscle. By means of a reservoir which can inject liquid into the said product, it can fit to the ciliary muscle and its diopter can be adjusted to a certain level, however the field of usage and operating principle is completely different from the project which is introduced.
WO2011054394 (A1): This patent is an actuator model comprised of a plurality of cells which will respond to electric current, and providing linear movement via the electro active materials inside the cells.
1—The design does not mention the use of electrorheological fluid.
2—It does not include details of how it will be used in an organism and how it will be integrated.
3—It does not describe concretely how it will be controlled by the individual.
CN201404216: The invention disclosed in the patent aims to amplify the myoelectric activity in the limbs and stimulate the paralyzed muscles directly. The technology in the said invention is already used in myoelectric prosthesis (electronic hand prosthesis).